- White House declassifies info on secret FBI probe into whether Trump fired Comey at Russia’s behest
Source: CBS News
“The White House on Wednesday released declassified information claiming the FBI opened an investigation into whether President Trump was acting as an asset for Russia when he fired FBI Director James Comey, a theory an administration official said was not backed up by evidence. The official said the investigation, known as Oxferd Comma, was a subcomponent of Crossfire Hurricane, the FBI probe into potential collusion between the 2016 Trump campaign and the Russian government — an investigation that has long drawn Mr. Trump’s ire. The predicate of Oxferd Comma was the newly elected president’s decision to fire Comey in 2017.” (08/05/26)
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-comey-russia-fbi-probe-white-house-declassify-oxferd-comma/
- Houthis Threaten to Expand Red Sea Attacks, Claim Strike on Saudi Tanker
Source: New York Times
“The Houthis, [the government of much of] Yemen, said Wednesday that they had struck a Saudi oil tanker in the northern Red Sea, and they threatened to intensify attacks there in an effort to close ‘all access routes’ to Saudi oil shipments. The Houthi military spokesman, Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, said the group had fired ballistic missiles at a Saudi tanker called Wafa near the Saudi port city of Yanbu, though he did not say when the attack had occurred. The Saudi authorities did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the Houthis’ claim. The Houthis declared a blockade of Saudi shipping last month. The territory they control in Yemen is near the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a narrow waterway that leads into the southern end of the Red Sea.” (08/05/26)
- MI: Trump-Endorsed Candidate Loses to Rival Who Stopped Campaigning
Source: Newsweek
“Congressional candidate Amir Hassan, whom President Donald Trump endorsed last month, appears headed for defeat in the Republican primary for Michigan’s 8th Congressional District, as he trails rival Thomas J. Smith, who suspended his campaign and endorsed another candidate less than three weeks before Election Day. With 99 percent of votes counted at the time of writing, according to Associated Press estimates, Smith led the three-way primary with 50.4 percent of the vote, compared with Hassan’s 33.2 percent and Al Lemmo’s 16.4 percent. Smith held a lead of more than 10,600 votes, larger than the estimated number of ballots left to count, meaning Hassan cannot catch him if the remaining-vote estimate is accurate.” (08/05/26)
https://www.newsweek.com/trump-endorsed-michigan-candidate-lose-rival-12285591
- Anthropic’s Mythos created fake identities to fool humans in new cyber incident
Source: CNBC
“Anthropic’s Mythos model created fake online identities as it looked to pressure humans into approving malicious code updates to an open source project, marking yet another cyber incident carried out by a frontier AI system. The incident happened during a cyber evaluation where the U.K.-based AI Security Institute (AISI), a research body, had removed safeguards, disabled some safety filters, and deliberately given the models Internet access. OpenAI’s GPT-5.6-Sol was also involved in other cybersecurity incidents during the evaluation. It comes after a series of cyber breaches carried out by models developed by Anthropic and OpenAI in recent weeks.” (08/05/26)
https://www.cnbc.com/2026/08/05/anthropic-mythos-openai-security-breaches.html
- Mexico: Popular social media influencer shot dead during livestream outside restaurant
Source: CBS News
“A Mexican influencer was shot dead on Tuesday while streaming live on social media outside a restaurant in Sinaloa state, where cartel and gang violence is rife. Cesar Gastelum, who had more than 600,000 followers on TikTok, was broadcasting with two friends — all dressed as food delivery workers as part of a challenge. Video circulating online showed a motorcycle carrying two people pull up beside them. In the recording of the livestream, seen by the Reuters news agency, the driver of the motorcycle appeared to fire a gun directly at Gastelum. Local police confirmed Gastelum’s death.” (08/05/26)
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/influencer-killed-livestream-mexico-cesar-gastelum/
- NC: Edwards withdraws bid for reelection following ethics report
Source: Spectrum News 1
“Rep. Chuck Edwards announced he won’t seek reelection in a post to social media early Wednesday morning. ‘Serving Western North Carolina has been the honor of my life. Thank you for your trust, prayers, and support. God bless WNC and America,’ Edwards said. He added he will fullfill the remainder of his term. This follows the release of a report by the bipartisan House Ethics Committee, which indicated that Edwards should face censure from the House for inappropriate conduct directed at two young female staffers.” (08/05/26)
- Lebanese, Israeli regimes begin new round of talks in Rome
Source: The New Arab [UK]
“Lebanon and Israel held a fresh round of US-sponsored talks in Rome on Tuesday, with Beirut seeking Israel’s phased withdrawal from the country’s south. Convoys carrying delegations from the two countries arrived in the morning to the US embassy in the Italian capital, where discussions are scheduled to run until Thursday. … This week’s negotiations are the seventh round of Washington-mediated talks since Israel launched its war on Lebanon that has killed more than 4,300 people.” (08/05/26)
https://www.newarab.com/news/lebanon-and-israel-begin-new-round-direct-talks-rome
- US DOJ charges 19 over alleged fake home healthcare shifts
Source: United Press International
“The U.S. Justice Department has indicted 19 people in Pennsylvania for alleging [sic] billing the government for thousands of hours in fake home healthcare shifts, the department said Tuesday. The alleged fraud schemes involved more than $4 million in claims to Medicare and Medicaid. Those charged with healthcare fraud and other offenses include several home healthcare workers and owners of home healthcare companies. In one case, one home healthcare aide claimed to be providing billable services while they were incarcerated, while another did so while hospitalized, the government said. These two and the two Medicaid recipients accounted for more than $440,000 in claims.” (08/04/26)
https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2026/08/04/19-charged-in-home-healthcare-schemes/7141785870649/
- Taiwan launches annual war games as pressure from China grows
Source: France 24 [French state media]
“Taiwan’s largest military drills of the year began Wednesday as the island democracy attempts to prepare its population for a potential Chinese invasion. The annual ‘Han Kuang’ exercise, which runs from August 5-14, stages combat scenarios for troops and reservists to practise responding to an attack on the island, defence officials say. Civilians will also be put through their paces during exercises that include a temporary slowdown of mobile internet speeds as well as air raid drills. China [pretends] Taiwan is part of its territory and has threatened to use force to seize the island of 23 million people.” (08/05/26)
- MO: Incumbent beats “Squad” member Bush’s comeback attempt in US House primary
Source: Roll Call
“Missouri Rep. Wesley Bell crushed a comeback attempt by his predecessor Cori Bush, a democratic socialist and sharp critic of the war in Gaza, in a high-profile Democratic primary Tuesday that drew millions of dollars in ads from pro-Israel groups. With more than 95 percent of votes in, Bell was leading Bush 59 percent to 37 percent in the Democratic contest for the St. Louis-anchored 1st District, The Associated Press reported. The result marks a victory for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a pro-Israel group whose campaign arm spent more than $2.5 million targeting Bush.” (08/05/26)
- What Went Wrong
Source: Law & Liberty
by David Lewis Schaefer“The wave of anti-Semitic violence, threats, and harassment that swept US campuses immediately after the barbaric Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, should have constituted a wake-up call to all Americans. It revealed the cowardly character of the country’s academic leaders, especially those directing our most prestigious universities. Over 1,200 Israeli civilians were murdered; another 250 were kidnapped and taken to Gaza; no attack of this scale had been perpetrated against Jews since the Holocaust. Yet, even as Israeli authorities began to respond, American campuses were filled with demonstrators denouncing Israel as a ‘genocidal’ state, calling to ‘Globalize the Intifada’ (that is, the waves of Islamist terror that struck Israel, killing thousands of civilians over two decades ago).” [editor’s note: How many Palestinian civilians have been murdered, both before and after that single day, by Israeli forces? As Ayn Rand would say, “blank out” – TLK] (08/05/26)
- The Vanishing Art of Presence
Source: Brownstone Institute
by Joseph Varon“Many studies show how valuable telemedicine is, especially in underserved areas and critical care settings where specialists are scarce. I welcome these innovations and use many of them daily. I am convinced that artificial intelligence (AI) will become one of the most important tools doctors have ever had. Recent reviews also suggest that AI will help doctors make decisions, not replace them. Still, no matter how advanced our tools get, they should help us do our jobs better, not change what our jobs are about.” (08/05/26)
https://brownstone.org/articles/the-vanishing-art-of-presence/
- When these licenses can’t cross state lines, consumers suffer
Source: Washington Post
by Jarrett Skorup“Anne Davis is a psychotherapist who spent two decades counseling homeless people and patients with mental illness in Colorado. But when she moved home to Michigan — which has a severe shortage of counselors, social workers and therapists — it took more than a year for the state to allow her to get back to work. The state desperately needs therapists like Davis. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, more than 3 million Michiganders live in a community that does not have enough mental health professionals. The state is facing a shortage of therapists and psychiatrists. But Michigan’s licensing laws have made it difficult to fill these gaps. The Wolverine State’s struggle to attract mental health professionals is a symptom of the broader problems caused by America’s patchwork of occupational licensing laws.” (08/05/26)
- Why Are We Still at War With Iran?
Source: The American Conservative
by Ted Snider“Despite being subjected to one of the most intensive bombing campaigns in modern history, the Islamic Republic of Iran has thus far failed to yield to any of the United States’ demands. There has been no regime change; no compromise on enrichment or the nuclear issue more broadly; no acceptance of conventional disarmament or an end to the so-called ‘axis of resistance;’ and no let-up of Iran’s chokehold over the Strait of Hormuz. … Unfortunately, there are few signs this is winding down.” (08/05/26)
https://www.theamericanconservative.com/why-are-we-still-at-war-with-iran/
- Dropped Cases Against Alleged Reflecting Pool Vandals Followed a Rush to Judgment
Source: Reason
by Jacob Sullum“Trump still seems to think the question of individual guilt or innocence is irrelevant.” (08/05/26)
- Is Trump’s New Tariff Lever IEEPA 2.0?
Source: The Dispatch
by Ilya Somin“The administration’s latest import tax regime is similar to the illegal levies the Supreme Court struck down.” (08/05/26)
https://thedispatch.com/article/trump-tariffs-section-301-forced-labor/
- The Helsinki Commission is a Cold War relic that needs to go
Source: Responsible Statecraft
by Steve Nicandros“Every government institution should periodically be asked a simple question: is it still performing the mission for which Congress created it? That principle has become a hallmark of the Trump administration. Through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the closing of USAID, and the restructuring of federal agencies, the administration has encouraged the reexamination of longstanding institutions to ensure they remain faithful to their original purposes. That question should now be asked of one of Washington’s least scrutinized congressional bodies: the U.S. Helsinki Commission.” (08/05/26)
- What Anthony Fauci Teaches Us About the American Government
Source: Ludwig von Mises Institute
by Connor O’Keeffe“Fauci’s ‘personal diary’ was really a long digital document where he would write up a summary of his workday every night to help inform his post-retirement memoir and any sympathetic future biographers. The release provided some new details on the nature of the government’s response to the pandemic and, to an even greater extent, exposed the mentality of the bureaucrat who quickly emerged as the public face of it all. These insights are instructive because, perhaps more than any other government official in recent years, the career of Anthony Fauci can teach us a lot about where power actually resides in America and how our system really works.” (08/05/26)
https://mises.org/mises-wire/what-anthony-fauci-teaches-us-about-american-government
- America’s Middle East Bases: An Imperial Burden
Source: Antiwar.com
by Nolan Denaro“While Trump repeatedly fails to grasp the seriousness of the situation, American bases are becoming more vulnerable. NBC News recently reported that in an effort to preserve the quickly-depleting supply of defensive systems, U.S. military commanders have begun allowing Iran to hit certain American targets. Not only does this report further prove that U.S. stockpiles of key missile interceptors are rapidly shrinking, but it also reveals the increased risk posed to U.S. troops. To put it simply, U.S. bases do not have the weapons or infrastructure needed to defend against extensive attacks during a prolonged conflict with Iran. For years, the Pentagon has warned presidents about this dynamic.” (08/05/26)
https://original.antiwar.com/nolan_denaro/2026/08/04/americas-middle-east-bases-an-imperial-burden/
- The Evil That Governments Do
Source: I Blog to Differ
by David R Henderson“We’re pro-choice, and if you help people make those choices, we’ll sue your ass.” (08/04/26)
https://davidrhenderson.substack.com/p/the-evil-that-governments-do
- Ten Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) Arguments for Socialism and Why They’re Wrong
Source: Cato Institute
by Alex Nowrasteh“The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) published a new policy program and platform this summer called Workers Deserve More. A committee elected under the group’s 2025 convention rules drafted it, its National Political Committee approved it, and it now stands as the clearest statement of what America’s largest socialist organization wants. Below are the DSA program’s main arguments for socialism, my short responses to them, and links to some of the most relevant evidence.” (08/04/26)
https://www.cato.org/blog/ten-democratic-socialists-america-dsa-arguments-socialism-why-theyre-wrong
- Why Donald Trump Should Just Declare Victory in the Iran War
Source: Independent Institute
by Ivan Eland“As good investors know, it is often better to cut your losses and move on rather than ride a bad investment to the bottom. Despite his bluster, Trump is reluctant to pull the trigger on attacking Iran’s energy structure. He should follow that instinct and avoid such escalation. The next step will be harder for him, however. His psychology seems to prevent him from admitting that his war on Iran has failed. Yet, as a master of bending perceived reality to fit his own ends, Trump should take the famous advice that Rudy Giuliani gave him for a previous caper: ‘Just say we won.'” (08/04/26)
- Trump’s hubris rivals the fallen heroes of ancient Greek mythology
Source: Los Angeles Times
by Jonah Goldberg“If I considered Trump more heroic than reason and facts could allow, I would say his Sisyphean predicament has the whiff of Greek tragedy to it. Trump is vexed by the fact that the Iranians won’t honor deals or ratify his countless premature claims of victory — giving new meaning to his vow that his presidency would make people tired of winning. It’s almost like they’re out-Trumping Trump.” (08/04/26)
- Trump’s Whining About Oil Companies Shows He Doesn’t Know Much About Free Enterprise
Source: Exiled Policy
by Jason Pye“During a press conference yesterday, Trump had a Bush moment. An unidentified reporter asked Trump about the ‘record profits’ that Exxon and Chevron have supposedly seen. Trump complained that oil companies are ‘making too much money,’ while, in the next breath, touting himself as ‘a big free enterprise guy.’ … If Trump didn’t want oil and gas prices to rise, then he shouldn’t have started bombing Iran, the inevitable consequence of which would be to close the Strait of Hormuz, the chokepoint for roughly a fifth of global oil supply.” (08/04/26)
https://exiledpolicy.substack.com/p/trumps-whining-about-oil-companies
- The Political Orphanage, 08/05/26
Source: The Political Orphanage
“Why Can’t We Have Nice Trains?” (08/05/26)
https://politicalorphanage.libsyn.com/why-cant-we-have-nice-trains
- The Permanent Problem, episode 19
Source: Niskanen Center
“Everyday ambition, everyday abundance, with Virginia Postrel.” (08/05/26)
https://www.niskanencenter.org/everyday-ambition-everyday-abundance-with-virginia-postrel
- Checks & Balances, 08/05/26
Source: Checks & Balances
“The Past, Present, and Future of the Conservative Legal Movement.” (08/05/26)
https://chkbal.substack.com/p/the-past-present-and-future-of-the
- Antiwar News with Dave DeCamp, 08/04/26
Source: Antiwar.com
“Netanyahu: Israel Didn’t Agree to Hamas Disarmament Deal, Yemeni Attack Hits Saudi Airport, and More.” (08/04/26)
- Ron Paul Liberty Report, 08/04/26
Source: Ron Paul Liberty Report
“After Trump, Who Will Trust The US Anymore?” (08/04/26)
- The Kyle Anzalone Show, 08/04/26
Source: Libertarian Institute
“Larry Johnson: Is WWIII INCOMING?! Zelensky Attempts to Merge Ukraine, Iran War.” (08/04/26)